 |
| A scene from The Diary of Anne Frank. I and the Frank family greet Peter Van Daan as Kimberly Elizabeth Beck as Miep, the Dutch woman who helped the families hide, look on.
I took Monday as a vacation day, hoping that it would help me with the let down I usually feel the first day I go back to work after a play,
It did not work,
Yes, I got to complete the editing to The Crowley Stories, and that felt good. But my return to work on Tuesday was just as melancholy as normal. Hopefully, today will be better.
------------------------------------
Theater is hard to let go of. I went to a play put on by Benjamin's musical theater class last night. He did very well, and it was a reminder that I was not the only one in the family bit by the theater bug.
He was somewhat disappointed that, in another upcoming production, he lost out on the lead role, and is instead going to get some bit parts. I had to remind him that throughout the many plays that I did in high school, in only one did I get the lead part. You make the most of the parts you get, and make those parts memorable, and things will build from there.
----------------------------------
Speaking of deciding not to act for awhile, the play that WACT was going to do, Christmas Belles, with an adult cast, has now changed to A Charlie Brown Christmas, with a young adult cast. So now it's my son that would be considered instead of me. That makes things different. If he decides to participate, I will take the time to support him in any way I can.
---------------------------------------
I have started the slow sampling of new TV shows. So far, it is not promising. As much as I like science fiction, I have to pass on Minority Report....after two episodes, it does not rise to the episode of must watch TV. The same is true, unfortunately of The Muppets. Something is missing from the original, and I'm not sure we can hang in there with it. The verdict is still out on Quantico. I'm intrigued enough to keep trying it for a few more episodes.
-------------------------------------
I can't complain about three of my four football teams. The Michigan Wolverines proved against BYU that they might be for real this year, rapidly improving under the tutelage of Coach Harbaugh. The Georgia Bulldogs look strong, although the true test comes this weekend against Alabama. Alison feared that the Atlanta Falcons would be wretched this year, but they have shown a remarkable ability to stay competitive and to come from behind. On the other hand, I had high hopes for the Detroit Lions, only to see their complete lack of an offensive line to give Matthew Stafford time completely ruin any viability they have. The Lions suck, and they suck mightily. And there is little hope of a turn-around.
--------------------------------------
My next writing project is......writing query letters for my two novels. I only have one thing to say about that....AHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I am so scared and out of my element.
-------------------------------------------
Trump is starting to fade in the polls. You would think that would make me feel better. But it does not. The damage is already done. The fact that so many were attracted to him in the first place has already done irreversible damage to the psyche of the nation. There's no question in my mind. He represent the worst of this country, and his ideas (such as they are) are dangerous and could lead to horrible things you would not think possible in a country that proclaims itself civilized. Besides, the candidates rising in the Republican polling are almost as loony and despicable as Trump.
Meanwhile, Bernie Sanders continues his remarkable rise in the Democratic field, and the mainstream corporate media continue to ignore and underestimate him.
And that includes MSNBC. It's sad to watch it's demise. The Progressives on the so-called progressive network are getting fewer and fewer rooms to play in. The Rachel Maddow Show had a news crawl at the bottom of the screen last night. How stupid and distracting.
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Farewell for now, until I once again go a-wandering!
T. M. Strait
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Wednesday, September 30, 2015
The Return of Wednesday Wanderings
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Early October Theatre Fun Time!
I may have temporarily suspended my acting in plays, but not my love and support for theatre. There are always many great plays to see in our area, produced by a number of fine groups.
I am really looking forward to the one listed above, as it features many of my favorite thespians, including Anita Lynn, Allen Hamilton, Nikki Spivey, Jody Rollins, Brenda Luke and Brittany Peacock. Wow. Just listing off these names is getting me excited about seeing this! This area is truly blessed with a richness of talent.
------------------------
This evening, Tuesday September 29, my son, Benjamin Strait, will be performing in a high school play, part of performances that also includes a choral concert. I'm not sure of the title but...it is also a play about a play. That must be this week's theme.
Its title? All I Really Need to Know I Learned By Being In A Bad Play. Sounds promising,
--------------------------
And from Flying Dragon this week -
This coming weekend at the children's theater we will present a play written by Pierce County native Wayne Thomas Mr. Thomas graduated from PCHS in 1995. Her Guardian Angel opens Friday.
Flying Dragon Arts Center is located at 405 Tebeau Street next to the Downtown Sandwich Shoppe.
Monday, September 28, 2015
Farewell to Theater, For Now
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| Emily Beck, our outstanding Anne Frank, takes a picture with me at the end of our run of The Diary of Anne Frank.
Ah, theater! I love it so!
Sometimes mistakes happens, but that is part of the live energy of community theatre. I wore my yarmulke a whole scene after I was supposed to have taken it off. I walked in on the wrong scene. Lines were skipped or miffed, props sometimes forgotten or emerging in the wrong place.
But I love it. Every second of it. Especially a story like this, with such an important message. You would think something as powerful as the holocaust would not fade with time. But I ran across people who were unfamiliar with the Anne Frank story, and were vague about the holocaust and what happened. But we cannot forget. We cannot allow this to be repeated.
Like many local productions, the crowds we had were receptive and supportive, but you always hope for more people to see and connect with it. Live theater, unless it is a large cast musical, tends to not attract sold out crowds. It is still more than worth it.
This play means a lot to me. It is a favorite from high school - a well bonded cast making a powerful statement. This time, it was the same time.
And it is good to have this wonderful feeling about this, as I am planning on taking a break from theater for awhile. If I have to take a sabbatical, it is satisfying to leave on such a high note.
But for now, I must concentrate on other things. I need to prove to myself that if I retire in 20 months, that I can make the supplemental income I need from something besides working accounting part time. Community theater, as much as I love it, is not part of that mix. Writing, as far fetched as that may seem to some, is, and I need to concentrate on seeing if I can make it a money maker. It doesn't need to be a lot, but enough to justify the time I spend on it.
I am not starting from ground zero. I have two completed novels (never-ending editing and fussing aside), numerous other writings of other kinds (I have some short stories, but also over 1,200 blog entries, including essays, autobiographical writings and poetry). It is a matter of focus as to how to best publish and make money from them. I have posted one story as an eshort on Amazon, and so far it has made me $4.67. Interesting, but not enough to retire on.
If I can figure this out, prove to myself that I won't have to do accounting in retirement, than I will return to community theater with great enthusiasm. I apologize to my friends at WACT (Waycross Area Community Theater) and all of those who enjoy working with me in plays. Theater has been a real life saver for me, helping to make all these years I have had to play the role of "accountant" tolerable. Having that creative outlet has meant more to me than you can possibly imagine.
But it is time now to focus on something else. Foolish or not, I have to try.
Wish me luck.
As they say in WACT -
Merde!
|
Saturday, September 26, 2015
Fit to Lead: Saturday Political Soap Box 112
Who is fit to lead this country?
Disregarding polls, who actually has the experience, intelligence, pragmatism, empathy and judgement to become the effective and decisive leader we will need in both crisis and in day to day management?
I have tried to not judge on the basis of political ideology, but on the basic capacity to lead, and work for the benefit of ALL the American people. I freely admit, I believe progressives do a better job of this, so you may interpret that as a bit of bias. The fact is that progressives believe that government works, and should be a tool in the arsenal of what makes this country great, in partnership with other institutions and individuals as well. I believe if you actively hate government, it makes it kind of harder to manage.
That said, here is my list, from the least fit to the most fit -
21) Donald Trump - emotionally unsuited for the job, this man born on third and thinking he hit a triple; this man who has callously gone bankrupt four times and has survived because the bankers are afraid to let him fail; this man who wants to sue anyone that pisses him off; this man who is misogynist, sexist, xenophobic, bigoted and hateful; this man whose only articulated policy is to deport millions and answers someone who suggests we "get rid" of the Muslims in this country answers with "We'll look into it"; this man who is no longer funny, and should not just be dismissed as an entertainer. He is vile and dangerous. I'll be blunt. Shame not just on him, but on you if you even for a second contemplated this man as your choice for President. One of the least qualified candidates to ever run seriously for the Presidency of the United States.
20) Ted Cruz - Canadian/Cuban Senator from Texas. He has shown a serious lack of ability to get along with anybody. Ideologically dogmatic to the point of being willing to destroy this country rather than compromise, demonstrated by his advocacy of government shutdowns, regardless of the billions it costs us. He'd rather destroy our health care system (most recently, his attacks on women's health and Planned Parenthood), and risk the destruction of the good faith and credit of the United States than even hint at a whiff of compromise or reasonableness. The man has no business being anywhere near the Presidency of the United States.
19) Ben Carson - great surgeon; not fit to be President. Not enough space to list all his wrong headed and mis-informed opinions. Evolution is a conspiracy brought about by "the adversary"? Do I want to turn America into a theocracy? Hard pass.
18) Mike Huckabee - this former Governor of Arkansas used to have some temperament and reason, but he has increasingly gone down the path of belligerence and intolerance lately. Another hard pass on creating a theocratic state. You have to lead us all, Mike, not just the Christian right.
17) Carly Fiorina - since when does bringing a major corporation like Hewlett-Packard to the brink of destruction qualify you to be President? Since when is it okay to lie from beginning to end in a debate performance? I don't rate her at the bottom because she has some marginal speaking skills, and it's not impossible for a business person to be a good President, but I do believe it's like a rich person going through the eye of the needle to get to heaven. Rare, but not impossible - the skill sets just don't match up with what you need to be President. Wait. Never mind. She's not really a good business person anyways. Never mind.
16) Rand Paul - Senator from Kentucky, he calls himself a libertarian. Awesome. So what does that mean? Not much. Get one hundred libertarians in a room and do you know what you've got? One hundred different ideas of what libertarian even means. His version is mixed and entertaining in parts, but he's going to have difficulty in building the bridges he'll need to accomplish anything.
15) Lincoln Chaffee - he's been a Senator and Governor, and a Republican, Independent and Democrat, but right now he's just running as an a-hole. Not liking Hilary Clinton and her Iraq decision, and advocating the metric system, is not reason enough to run for President.
14) Rick Santorum - former Senator from Pennsylvania, and another hard right theocrat. I rank him marginally higher than most of the other theocratic candidates because he has expressed some concern for the average working man
13) Lindsay Graham - senator from South Carolina who has some flashes of common sense insight, but a hard coated shell in favor of military action. If you like endless wars, this is your man.
12) Chris Christie - you have to give a Republican some credit for running a blue state like New Jersey. Of course he's mean spirited, revengeful, and runs things like a mafia don. But hey, no plan is perfect.
11) Jim Gilmore - I think he was one time a Governor of Virginia or something. No one's paying attention to him. Sorry. I guess I won't either. He may or may not have leadership skills. He certainly doesn't have any "attract the voter" skills.
10) Bobby Jindall - Governor of Louisiana. You have to give him this. He has a lot of papers with clarified positions. He hasn't been as bad of a Governor as Scott Walker, but he hasn't been the best either. He has theocratic tendencies.
9) Jim Webb - former Senator from Virginia and military man. Interesting figure, but doesn't always play well with others. And his conservative Democrat shtick is something that might have worked better in another era. Really, defending the Confederate flag may not be the position to stake out from either party.
8) George Pataki - former New York Governor. Some competence there, but I think every one's kind of forgotten him. And if the Tea Party caucus is not happy with John Boehner, imagine how they would feel about this relatively moderate former Governor.
7) Marco Rubio - Florida Senator. He would marginally help with the Latino vote (although after Trump's noisy pollution - it's hard to see the Republican Party recovering). He has a tiny bit of charisma, and has shown at least a minuscule ability to compromise.
6) Martin O' Malley - former Governor of Maryland. He was an effective leader of his state, but has had little spark on the campaign trail. His positions may be too close to Hilary's to distinguish himself. I'll give him this, though - he's much younger than the rest of the Democratic field - practically a baby at 52.
5) Jeb Bush - OMG, it just bores me and wears me out just to type out his name. Low energy, thy name is Jeb. Yes, he is too hard line conservative, and it would make me cringe for the four years he would be in office, but I suspect he would be more pragmatic than all but one of the other Republicans. And that one more pragmatic than him would be.....
4) John Kasich - this Governor of Ohio has shown the most pragmatism and leadership capacity of all the Republican candidates. Again, he is still horribly conservative, but he has shown more compassion and understanding than any of their other candidates. He is has the experience and credentials to handle the job. So, of course, the Republicans will never nominate him.
3) Bernie Sanders - Senator from Vermont. Feel the Bern! Yes, his election would energize and revolutionize a nation. But given this, he has shown the ability to work and compromise with the opposition. He can get things done. The only reason I don't rank him number one is because he would have to fight the corporate and wealthy forces that have oligarchically controlled this country, and that might not be a very pretty fight. Necessary, but not pretty.
2) Hilary Clinton - chill out, my conservative friends. Like it or not, she does have the experience and pragmatism to run this country. Republicans hate her and vilify her, but hell, they'll do that to any one who gets the Democratic nomination. Not my first choice because she is a corporatist and a bit of a war hawk, I still have no doubt about her ability to competently lead this country, in the best interest of all Americans.
1) Joe Biden - I know. A bit of a cheat here, as he is not an announced candidate. But I have no doubt that he is the best, most qualified person to lead this country. Can he win? Probably not. But if he does, I'll know the country will be in the best hands possible. Many of the best decisions made by this White House has been with the influence and steerage of Joe Biden. Even his unpolitical bluntness is refreshing, as it shows he has concern and connection to the average person. I'm not expecting a Biden Presidency, but I more than welcome it if it occurs.
Ugh! All this thinking and analysis for something that's probably just going to be yet another Bush/Clinton race. Zzzzzzzz.
If that happens, just wake me up when it's over.
Disregarding polls, who actually has the experience, intelligence, pragmatism, empathy and judgement to become the effective and decisive leader we will need in both crisis and in day to day management?
I have tried to not judge on the basis of political ideology, but on the basic capacity to lead, and work for the benefit of ALL the American people. I freely admit, I believe progressives do a better job of this, so you may interpret that as a bit of bias. The fact is that progressives believe that government works, and should be a tool in the arsenal of what makes this country great, in partnership with other institutions and individuals as well. I believe if you actively hate government, it makes it kind of harder to manage.
That said, here is my list, from the least fit to the most fit -
21) Donald Trump - emotionally unsuited for the job, this man born on third and thinking he hit a triple; this man who has callously gone bankrupt four times and has survived because the bankers are afraid to let him fail; this man who wants to sue anyone that pisses him off; this man who is misogynist, sexist, xenophobic, bigoted and hateful; this man whose only articulated policy is to deport millions and answers someone who suggests we "get rid" of the Muslims in this country answers with "We'll look into it"; this man who is no longer funny, and should not just be dismissed as an entertainer. He is vile and dangerous. I'll be blunt. Shame not just on him, but on you if you even for a second contemplated this man as your choice for President. One of the least qualified candidates to ever run seriously for the Presidency of the United States.
20) Ted Cruz - Canadian/Cuban Senator from Texas. He has shown a serious lack of ability to get along with anybody. Ideologically dogmatic to the point of being willing to destroy this country rather than compromise, demonstrated by his advocacy of government shutdowns, regardless of the billions it costs us. He'd rather destroy our health care system (most recently, his attacks on women's health and Planned Parenthood), and risk the destruction of the good faith and credit of the United States than even hint at a whiff of compromise or reasonableness. The man has no business being anywhere near the Presidency of the United States.
19) Ben Carson - great surgeon; not fit to be President. Not enough space to list all his wrong headed and mis-informed opinions. Evolution is a conspiracy brought about by "the adversary"? Do I want to turn America into a theocracy? Hard pass.
18) Mike Huckabee - this former Governor of Arkansas used to have some temperament and reason, but he has increasingly gone down the path of belligerence and intolerance lately. Another hard pass on creating a theocratic state. You have to lead us all, Mike, not just the Christian right.
17) Carly Fiorina - since when does bringing a major corporation like Hewlett-Packard to the brink of destruction qualify you to be President? Since when is it okay to lie from beginning to end in a debate performance? I don't rate her at the bottom because she has some marginal speaking skills, and it's not impossible for a business person to be a good President, but I do believe it's like a rich person going through the eye of the needle to get to heaven. Rare, but not impossible - the skill sets just don't match up with what you need to be President. Wait. Never mind. She's not really a good business person anyways. Never mind.
16) Rand Paul - Senator from Kentucky, he calls himself a libertarian. Awesome. So what does that mean? Not much. Get one hundred libertarians in a room and do you know what you've got? One hundred different ideas of what libertarian even means. His version is mixed and entertaining in parts, but he's going to have difficulty in building the bridges he'll need to accomplish anything.
15) Lincoln Chaffee - he's been a Senator and Governor, and a Republican, Independent and Democrat, but right now he's just running as an a-hole. Not liking Hilary Clinton and her Iraq decision, and advocating the metric system, is not reason enough to run for President.
14) Rick Santorum - former Senator from Pennsylvania, and another hard right theocrat. I rank him marginally higher than most of the other theocratic candidates because he has expressed some concern for the average working man
13) Lindsay Graham - senator from South Carolina who has some flashes of common sense insight, but a hard coated shell in favor of military action. If you like endless wars, this is your man.
12) Chris Christie - you have to give a Republican some credit for running a blue state like New Jersey. Of course he's mean spirited, revengeful, and runs things like a mafia don. But hey, no plan is perfect.
11) Jim Gilmore - I think he was one time a Governor of Virginia or something. No one's paying attention to him. Sorry. I guess I won't either. He may or may not have leadership skills. He certainly doesn't have any "attract the voter" skills.
10) Bobby Jindall - Governor of Louisiana. You have to give him this. He has a lot of papers with clarified positions. He hasn't been as bad of a Governor as Scott Walker, but he hasn't been the best either. He has theocratic tendencies.
9) Jim Webb - former Senator from Virginia and military man. Interesting figure, but doesn't always play well with others. And his conservative Democrat shtick is something that might have worked better in another era. Really, defending the Confederate flag may not be the position to stake out from either party.
8) George Pataki - former New York Governor. Some competence there, but I think every one's kind of forgotten him. And if the Tea Party caucus is not happy with John Boehner, imagine how they would feel about this relatively moderate former Governor.
7) Marco Rubio - Florida Senator. He would marginally help with the Latino vote (although after Trump's noisy pollution - it's hard to see the Republican Party recovering). He has a tiny bit of charisma, and has shown at least a minuscule ability to compromise.
6) Martin O' Malley - former Governor of Maryland. He was an effective leader of his state, but has had little spark on the campaign trail. His positions may be too close to Hilary's to distinguish himself. I'll give him this, though - he's much younger than the rest of the Democratic field - practically a baby at 52.
5) Jeb Bush - OMG, it just bores me and wears me out just to type out his name. Low energy, thy name is Jeb. Yes, he is too hard line conservative, and it would make me cringe for the four years he would be in office, but I suspect he would be more pragmatic than all but one of the other Republicans. And that one more pragmatic than him would be.....
4) John Kasich - this Governor of Ohio has shown the most pragmatism and leadership capacity of all the Republican candidates. Again, he is still horribly conservative, but he has shown more compassion and understanding than any of their other candidates. He is has the experience and credentials to handle the job. So, of course, the Republicans will never nominate him.
3) Bernie Sanders - Senator from Vermont. Feel the Bern! Yes, his election would energize and revolutionize a nation. But given this, he has shown the ability to work and compromise with the opposition. He can get things done. The only reason I don't rank him number one is because he would have to fight the corporate and wealthy forces that have oligarchically controlled this country, and that might not be a very pretty fight. Necessary, but not pretty.
2) Hilary Clinton - chill out, my conservative friends. Like it or not, she does have the experience and pragmatism to run this country. Republicans hate her and vilify her, but hell, they'll do that to any one who gets the Democratic nomination. Not my first choice because she is a corporatist and a bit of a war hawk, I still have no doubt about her ability to competently lead this country, in the best interest of all Americans.
1) Joe Biden - I know. A bit of a cheat here, as he is not an announced candidate. But I have no doubt that he is the best, most qualified person to lead this country. Can he win? Probably not. But if he does, I'll know the country will be in the best hands possible. Many of the best decisions made by this White House has been with the influence and steerage of Joe Biden. Even his unpolitical bluntness is refreshing, as it shows he has concern and connection to the average person. I'm not expecting a Biden Presidency, but I more than welcome it if it occurs.
Ugh! All this thinking and analysis for something that's probably just going to be yet another Bush/Clinton race. Zzzzzzzz.
If that happens, just wake me up when it's over.
Friday, September 25, 2015
Seeing Good and Evil: Thoughts on Playing Otto Frank
Being able to participate in community theater has been one of the great treasures of my life. It helps my creative, artistic side express itself, and provides a wonderful complement to my professional side - the important but rather stiff work of accounting.
This last weekend, I got to perform a role very close to my heart, Otto Frank, Anne Frank's father in The Dairy of Anne Frank. I did the play when I was a sophomore in high school (playing the part of the elderly dentist, Dussell), and even though I have done some sixty plays since then, it was one that has always stood out in my mind as a favorite. It was an extraordinarily meaningful play, and the cast was perfect, taking me to the world of the attic, as those special Jewish families tried to hide from the evil of the Nazis.
And the cast I have been privileged to work with this time have been just as extraordinary. Pierce County resident, Emily Beck, played Anne Frank, with exceptional talent, bringing her to life as a real girl whom you can't help but love and feel for. I have seen hundreds of actors in my day, and trust me when I say - this is one you need to watch out for. You will hear of her again.
We often look back at the horrors of that time and ask ourselves, "How did we allow that to happen? How did they not know to leave? Why could they not see what was coming?"
I think of Anne's most famous line, "In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart." A true and uplifting sentiment.
Mr. Frank, early in the play, tells Anne that their Dutch friends that are helping them hide, are at risk, too. That if they are discovered, as he tells Anne, "they could be deported too."
Deported. That is what Mr. Frank was concerned with when they first went into hiding. The uglier consequences that lay ahead seemed impossible to conceive at first. He was German himself, having fought as a soldier in World War One. He had roots in Amsterdam, as a successful businessman. Why pull up roots if you could wait it out? It was only over time that the uglier consequences became apparent.
I do believe in the basic goodness of people. Sometimes it is hard, but then I see something like the Pope's visit to America, and I am filled with hope and love that we will be to handle our growing crises in a compassionate and humane way.
But we also should use the story of The Diary of Anne Frank as a cautionary tale as well. We must never forget. We must be ever vigilant that these horrors do not get repeated.
When Hitler and his ilk emerged from the cesspools of German politics, they did so by talking about deporting millions, and about restoring the greatness of Germany. The starkness of The Final Solution came later.
So when we hear politicians whose only major articulated position is to "deport millions", our ears should perk up. When they vaguely say they plan on "making America great again", it should give us pause as to what they mean. And when they are asked their plans for getting rid of some group, like being asked "We need to get rid of the Muslims. How are you going to do it?" - and they answer back, "We're looking into it" the warning bells should be exploding in your head.
Politics and culture are interesting games of give and take. Not everything leads to the ugly extremism expressed and then brought to brutal reality by groups like the Nazis.
But sometimes they do. And we need to be aware of that.
Let us never forget. Both the innate goodness of mankind, and the cold hearted bigotry that can contaminate it.
May the light of Anne Frank's life never go out. May her spirit, her dreams and hopes, both her optimism and the warnings that emanate from her story, live on forever.
This last weekend, I got to perform a role very close to my heart, Otto Frank, Anne Frank's father in The Dairy of Anne Frank. I did the play when I was a sophomore in high school (playing the part of the elderly dentist, Dussell), and even though I have done some sixty plays since then, it was one that has always stood out in my mind as a favorite. It was an extraordinarily meaningful play, and the cast was perfect, taking me to the world of the attic, as those special Jewish families tried to hide from the evil of the Nazis.
And the cast I have been privileged to work with this time have been just as extraordinary. Pierce County resident, Emily Beck, played Anne Frank, with exceptional talent, bringing her to life as a real girl whom you can't help but love and feel for. I have seen hundreds of actors in my day, and trust me when I say - this is one you need to watch out for. You will hear of her again.
We often look back at the horrors of that time and ask ourselves, "How did we allow that to happen? How did they not know to leave? Why could they not see what was coming?"
I think of Anne's most famous line, "In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart." A true and uplifting sentiment.
Mr. Frank, early in the play, tells Anne that their Dutch friends that are helping them hide, are at risk, too. That if they are discovered, as he tells Anne, "they could be deported too."
Deported. That is what Mr. Frank was concerned with when they first went into hiding. The uglier consequences that lay ahead seemed impossible to conceive at first. He was German himself, having fought as a soldier in World War One. He had roots in Amsterdam, as a successful businessman. Why pull up roots if you could wait it out? It was only over time that the uglier consequences became apparent.
I do believe in the basic goodness of people. Sometimes it is hard, but then I see something like the Pope's visit to America, and I am filled with hope and love that we will be to handle our growing crises in a compassionate and humane way.
But we also should use the story of The Diary of Anne Frank as a cautionary tale as well. We must never forget. We must be ever vigilant that these horrors do not get repeated.
When Hitler and his ilk emerged from the cesspools of German politics, they did so by talking about deporting millions, and about restoring the greatness of Germany. The starkness of The Final Solution came later.
So when we hear politicians whose only major articulated position is to "deport millions", our ears should perk up. When they vaguely say they plan on "making America great again", it should give us pause as to what they mean. And when they are asked their plans for getting rid of some group, like being asked "We need to get rid of the Muslims. How are you going to do it?" - and they answer back, "We're looking into it" the warning bells should be exploding in your head.
Politics and culture are interesting games of give and take. Not everything leads to the ugly extremism expressed and then brought to brutal reality by groups like the Nazis.
But sometimes they do. And we need to be aware of that.
Let us never forget. Both the innate goodness of mankind, and the cold hearted bigotry that can contaminate it.
May the light of Anne Frank's life never go out. May her spirit, her dreams and hopes, both her optimism and the warnings that emanate from her story, live on forever.
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
2015 Friday Fall TV
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| It may seem grim that Grimm is the best show on Friday night, but that's the way it is.
ABC starts with Season 5 of Last Man Standing (9/25), a continuation of Tim Allen's Home Improvement series. What? It's not? Uhh, OK. Well then, if you like this show, please continue to enjoy it. It is followed by a brand new show at 8:30, Dr. Ken (10/2), featuring the Ken Jeong from the Hangover movies, a physician who is used to being blunt.
CBS has returning vets Hawaii Five-O (9/25, 9 PM, Season 6 - still not on as long as this show's original run) and Blue Bloods (9/25, 10 PM, Season 6). Honestly, at this point I'm running out of stuff to say. I will say that what little I've seen of Hawaii Five-O, the film colorist is doing an extraordinary job.
CW has Season 3 of Reign, focused on the young career of Mary, Queen of Scots. If it stays pace with history, things should change up soon. But I'm not sure the hallmark of this show is historical accuracy. It's CW young adults behaving as if it was the 21st century, but living in the 16th.
NBC, like ABC, starts Friday off with two comedies, both of which I know very little about. Season 3 of Undateable (10/9) is at 8 PM, and is centered on a group of guys who are, well, undateable (at this point I'm feeling very tautological. like a student who starts out his term paper - "the Battle of Bull Run is a battle that took place at Bull Run") and new comedy Truth Be Told (10/16) at 8:30, which is about, uhhh, telling the truth? (Maybe, I'm not sure). Grimm has Season 5 at 9 PM, that most Germanic of supernatural shows, and promises to spend more of the season on the road. That's good, because I was beginning to thing that everyone in Portland was Wesen.
BBC America will show Season 9 of Doctor Who on Saturdays at 9 PM.
So, what does Tom Strait watch? Reign and Grimm, and I'm the only one in the family who does. I'm not sure anyone else knows there are TV shows on Fridays. The family streams Doctor Who, and we are currently watching Season 7.
Will I see anything new? Well, does streaming count?
And, now, for something completely different......
My favorite genre, Alternate History, will have one of its very best books translated into a series on Amazon Prime starting 11/20, The Man in the High Castle (from author Phillip K Dick). What if the Nazis won World War II? See that frightening scenario played out on this show. Early critical feedback rank this as perhaps the best new show of the Fall season.
And it is on the very top of my "must see" list.
This completes my Fall Preview for 2015. Thank you, faithful Rippers, and others who have requested this. I know some of you have a great disdain for television, and I appreciate your patience. I will be resuming regular The Strait Line blogging right after these messages....
IF YOU LIVE ANYWHERE NEAR WAYCROSS, PLEASE COME SEE THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK THIS FRIDAY OR SATURDAY AT 8 PM, OR SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT 3. IT IS A GREAT PLAY WITH A GREAT MESSAGE AND A GREAT CAST AND CREW. YOU WILL COME? GREAT!
STAY TUNED TO THIS BLOGGING CHANNEL FOR NEWS OF ANY PUBLISHING EVENTS I SECURE. I HAVE TWO COMPLETED NOVELS AND SOMEHOW, SOME WAY, I'M GOING TO FINALLY FOCUS ON GETTING THEM PUBLISHED.
TREAT YOUR ANIMALS WELL, AND REMEMBER THAT ANIMAL CRUELTY DEBASES US ALL.
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2015 Thursday Fall TV
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| Number one show of the night, by a whisker over The Blacklist, is How to Get Away With Murder. Shondaland at its finest and whodunniest. This show will keep you entertained, guessing and gasping. Nobody does the melodramatic episode ending as well as this show.
Thursday is Shondaland night on ABC. Super creator/producer Shonda Rhimes is the driving imagination behind all the shows on this night. Season 12 of Grey's Anatomy (9/24) starts things off, followed at 9 PM by Season 5 of Scandal (9/24) and Season 2 of How to Get Away with Murder (9/24) at 10 PM. Scandal is a great show, and one of Alison's favorites, but I really have to cover my ears and brain when they talk about politics, and the odd way their world works. A moderate to liberal Republican President? Not happening in our world ever.
CBS has Season 3 of Mom (11/5) at 9 PM. This year Jamie Pressley, one of my favorite comedic actresses, becomes a regular cast member. Is it enough to make me want to see the show. Sadly, no, it is not. 9:30 has new series Angel From Hell (11/5) featuring Jane Lynch, and I think she's really an angel in it, just not the type you're used to. 10 PM has Season 4 of Elementary (11/5), which SPECIAL ALERT!!! will feature new this year, John Noble playing Sherlock's dad. Notice how late all these series start? CBS starts the year with Thursday Night Football.
The CW Thursday night shows bite! Literally. They're vampire shows. 8 PM has Season 7 of The Vampire Diaries (10/8) and 9 PM has Season 3 of the show's original sequel, The Originals (10/8). Fox has Season 11 of Bones (10/1) at 8 PM, featuring the guy I know as Angel and Zoey Deschanel's sister as a forensic specialist in, ah, well, bones. 9 PM is Season 3 of Sleepy Hollow (10/1). I've watched and enjoyed this show, but there are a couple of warning signs about the coming season - 1) John Nobles has moved on to Elementary and 2) new showrunners promise more fun and less myth. Great. The dimming down of a good serial show. If I wanted more fluff, I'd be watching more shows on USA Network and TNT. NBC has the return of Heroes at 8 PM, one of my favorites from the past. But let's not call it that. Let's celebrate it's rebirth by calling it Heroes Reborn (9/24). A mix of the old cast members with some new ones, mostly skewed to pick up a larger young adult audience. 9 PM has Season 3 of The Blacklist (10/1). James Spader as the good bad guy (or is that bad good guy?) is outstanding, and some of the potting and cinematography/editing are at feature film level. At 10 PM is new series The Player (9/24). It's got Wesley Snipes, doing I'm not sure what. Dodging the IRS, maybe? What will Tom Strait be watching? Alison and watch two of three of the Shondaland shows, Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder. We will be adding Elementary this year because of the cast addition of John Noble. We are going to keep Sleepy Hollow a chance, at least at first. What new shows will I try?  Heroes Reborn, of course! Yes, the original was mixed. sometimes very good, sometimes wandering. But I'm more than willing to give it another try. It should be an interesting experiment. Can a show like this get a second act on network television? Maybe, although I might have scheduled in the spring. The 13 episode format should help focus and improve it. |
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
2015 Wednesday Fall TV
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| This may have been on too long to be considered Emmy worthy, but Modern Family is still my favorite show on Wednesday night. Its time slot companion, Black-ish, is also pretty good.
ABC has four comedies on Wednesday night, At 8 PM is Season 7 of The Middle (9/23), 8:30 is Season 3 of The Goldbergs (9/23), at 9 PM is Season 7 of Modern Family (9/23) and at 9:30 is Season 2 of Black-ish (9/23). These are all comedies featuring a FAMILY, and have varying appeals depending on your own tastes. ABC ends the evening at 10 PM with Season 4 of Nashville 9/23), which is about, beleive it or not, country singers in Nashville. The central theme seems to be like the movie All About Eve/Applause, the younger star/protege knocking the older star/ mentor off her perch.
CBS is bringing in Season 11 of Criminal Minds (9/30). It's a crime drama. On CBS. Please contain your surprise. It's more based on psychology and profiling than some. 10 PM has a new show Code Black (9/30), which, amazingly, is not a crime drama. But it is a medical show. Think ER.
NBC has Season 2 of The Mysteries of Laura (9/23) at 8 PM. The biggest mystery about this show is, considering its incredibly low ratings, how it got a second season. I am being unfair as I have not seen this, as described in Entertainment Weekly, "lighthearted detective drama" starring Debra Messing. Castle fills my lighthearted drama quotient. 9 PM has Season 17 (!) of Law & Order:SVU(9/23), another spin-off that has survived past its mothership (Law & Order). Props to Mariska Hargitay for being a part of this series since the start. She has to be in the running for most prime time episodes playing the same character. Speaking of spin-offs, 10 PM has Season 3 of Chicago P.D.(9/30) Or maybe that is the mothership program of the Chicago programs. I'm really not sure.
FOX has a new show at 8 PM, Rosewood (9/23), a police procedural centered on a pathologist in Miami, starring Morris Chestnut. 9 PM is Season 2 of Empire (9/23), about shenanigans in the record industry. Last year, this program got the best ratings of any new network show in a decade or more.
CW starts at 8 PM with Season 4 of Arrow (10/7), which is a pretty good program, except I don't care for all the flashbacks. 9 Pm is Season 11 of Supernatural (10/7). 11 seasons is about a record for scifi/fantasy/horror type programs. Bravo! FX has Season 5 of American Horror Story (10/7), this year centering on a creepy hotel (shades of The Shining) and,,,,,,heeere's Gaga! FXX has Season 7 of The League at 10 PM and Season 2 of You're the Worst. Comedy Central's Adult Swim has Season 19 of South Park (9/16) at 10 PM and new series Moonbeam City (9/16) at 10:30 PM. What does Tom Strait watch? The whole family watches Modern Family and Black-ish. I watch Arrow, comic book fan that I am. I also see American Horror Story, although Alison dropped out of it last year - the evil clowns just became too much. What new shows will I try? On Wednesday, between jack and squat. Nothing new on this night interests me enough to sample. |
Friday, September 18, 2015
2015 Tuesday Fall TV
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| The star of the night, and the BEST show on broadcast network television, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., returns Tuesday, Sep 29. BE THERE! |
Tuesday Nights! Another great night of television! Well, at least part of the time.
ABC is bringing back The Muppets (9/22) at 8 PM. As demonstrated by the unevenness of their movies, sometimes their revivals work; sometimes they don't. It's at least worth a shot. At 8:30 PM is Season 2 of Fresh Off the Boat (9/22) - you would think at some point the freshness would wear off. At 9 PM is the BEST SHOW ON BROADCAST TELEVISION, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (9/29). Bless you, Joss Whedon, and the vibrant characters and stories you present. Starting 10/27 at 10 PM, ABC will start Wicked City, a crime drama focused on one case each season.
CBS starts off with their second and third hours of...THE GREAT NAVY CRIME WAVE!!! Season 13 of NCIS (9/22) at 8 PM and Season 2 of NCIS: New Orleans (9/22) at 9 PM. What's next? NCIS:Wichita? CBS wraps up the evening at 10 PM with the new show Limitless, about a guy who takes a drug that lets him do anything. Or thinks he can do anything - there are a lot of drugs like that. Something like that.
CW has The Flash at 8 PM. This is one of the more entertaining and high-spirited of the superhero shows, and this year - welcomes to Jay Garrick and Wally West (sorry - if those names mean nothing to you, it would take several paragraphs to explain. If you do know - woohoo!) 9 PM has season 2 of iZombie, a great show with zippy characters and dialogue, brought to you by the same people who did the most excellent series, Veronica Mars.
Fox news brings us Grandfathered (9/29) at 8 PM, in which a swinging single played by John Stamos finds out that he has a FULLer HOUSE then he realized. The Grinder (9/29) is at 8:30, with rob Lowe paling a TV actor who plays a lawyer and then decides he wants to be a real lawyer, except without getting any real law degree. 9 PM has Scream Queens (9/22), from the Glee/American Horror Story creators. It has an incredible 'hep' cast, including Emma Roberts, Jamie Lee Curtis and Lea Michelle. Could be funny, could be scary, could be both, might be neither. We'll see.
NBC has a new show Chicago Med at 9 PM, adding their third hour of 'Chicago' programming. I guess Chicago wants to give the Navy the run for its money. It's by producer Dick Wolf (Law & Order - ba bum!) and promises that it will be more medical and less soapy than Grey's Anatomy. Great. all the fun of a hospital visit without leaving home.
WGN has Manhattan (10/13) at 9 PM, about the race to build the nuclear bomb - a dramatic race that is...apparently taking at least two seasons.
FX has The Bastard Executioner (9/15) at 10 PM. Medieval battles with a mystical element, or.....Game of Thrones Lite. Not as light as broadcast TV, however. This is on basic cable and most episodes should be rated mature.
What will Tom Strait be watching? Well if you haven't picked up on the fact that I will be faithfully watching THE BEST SHOW ON BROADCAST TELEVISION, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., you haven't been paying attention. And yes, the whole family watches and loves this show. Escape the Navy! Escape Chicago! Come join the fun and excitement! Benjamin and I watch The Flash (as do my older boys, Greg and Doug), and Alison and I watch iZombie.
What new shows will Tom Strait be sampling?
Yep. Can't help myself. Got this on DVR, and hopefully will see once The Dairy of Anne Frank is over and I have a little more time available.
Additionally, I will sample The Muppets and Scream Queens. Will they be good enough to permanently add? I don't know. Only time will tell.
Thursday, September 17, 2015
2015 Monday Fall TV
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| My clear choice for number one show on Monday nights. Fargo last year was the most creative show on television, with amazing characters, a great story-line, and the cleverest cinematography and editing I'd ever seen outside of a movie.
ABC has Season 8 of Castle (9/21) at 10 PM. We are huge Nathan Fillion fans, and have been watching this sometimes overly fluffy show because his acting and sense of humor. The two leads are very good, but the supporting cast is kind of weak, and the plotting can be very mundane. But, hey! Nathan Fillion!
CBS has Season 9 of The Big Bang Theory (9/21) at 8 PM, a very popular show of which I've only seen the first couple of seasons (I probably won't see more until it is available to stream), the new show, Life In Pieces ((9/21) at 8:30 PM - it is the most interesting of the new comedies, featuring an all-star cast as a very dysfunctional extended/blended family, and I may give this at least a one episode try. 9 PM brings Season 2 of Scorpion (9/21), something to do with cyber espionage - honestly, I'm not sure. 10 PM has Season 7 of NCIS: Los Angeles (9/21), another show dealing with the huge crime epidemic in the navy. So, I give up. Why isn't this NCIS: San Diego? Doesn't that have a bigger naval base? The big news on CBS is that after Thursday Night Football ends, Supergirl starts up at 8 (oe 8:30 - sources vary). The CW has a new comedy called Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (10/13) at 8 PM. It should have like songs and stuff in it, and stars Rachel Bloom. Season 2 of Jane the Virgin (10/12) is at 9 PM, the closest thing network TV has to a telenovella. Fox has Season 2 of Gotham (9/21) of Gotham, and Batman gets another year closer to being...Batman. This show is good, but it has a very high body count. I don't know if I'd want to live in Gotham. 9 PM has the new show, Minority Report (9/21), based on the premise that you can anticipate crimes before they happen. Yeah. That's the way I feel about the Trump campaign.
NBC has a new show at 10 PM called Blindspot (9/21). It features who wakes up all tattooed, and the tattoos means something. I guess. Let me check with Ray Bradbury's The Illustrated Man first.
FX has the show of the night at 10 PM, Fargo (10/12). It's an all new cast and story compared to last year, but the creators behind this are amazing, and the previews look fantastic.
TNT has Legends (11/2) at 10 PM. It stars Sean Bean, a covert FBI agent who changes identity each case. Well, at least he's lasting longer than he did in Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones.
So what do I watch on this busy TV night? Alison and I watch Castle, out of loyalty to Nathan Fillion (who we hope will rejoin with Joss Whedon soon - Brownshirts Forever!). And, of course, Alison and I will be riveted to Fargo. The whole family watches Gotham.
What new shows will I try?  I will at least sample episodes of Life In Pieces and Minority Report, but what I am really looking forward to is Supergirl. I am a Superman Family fan going back to toddlerhood, and this will be on my list to see no matter what, although I am hoping it will be very good. The actress playing her seems enthusiastic and fresh, rather than sexy and/or overly-serious. The time it starts varies by source. I could be Monday Oct 26 at 8:30, or Monday November 2 at 8. Just be on the lookout! Up, up and away! |
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
2015 Sunday Fall TV
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| Tom's choice for number one show coming on Sunday Fall television. |
Finding a grid was a real bear. Neither Entertainment Weekly nor TV Guide had one. After a good deal of searching, I was able to steal this from the interwebs.
As I have in prior years, I will only be talking about fiction programs, with emphasis on serialized shows. As faded out as it may, be, I am still doing this in conjunction with Ripping Good Yarns, a group that I have valiantly tried to carry forward on Facebook.
ABC has Season 5 of Once upon A Time (9/27) at 8 PM. I watched this show up until about mid-season last year, but the Disney connection got to be too much, covering Disney movies and characters I either was not familiar with, or couldn't care less about. I got tired of the constant changes as to who was good and who was bad, and realized that no character was really at risk. ABC has two new programs - Blood & Oil (9/27) at 9 (a highly charged version of Dallas set in North Dakota starring Don Johnson of Miami Vice and Nash Bridges fame) and Quantico (9/27) (an action thriller about the CIA and the search for a terrorist mole) at 10 PM.
CBS has three returning shows; Season 2 of Madame Secretary (10/4), Season 5 of The Good Wife (10/4)and Season 2 of CSI:Cyber (10/4). We don't watch any of these, but I do know people who watch and enjoy The Good Wife - the scripting is supposed to be intense and surprising. I wish they would have kept the name of the original CSI and just morphed the cyber show into it. Sometimes there is no respect for continuity and numbers. I always find it odd when the satellites out survive the mother-ship. For those old school CSI fans, the original will be ending with a two hour movie on 9/27, and yes, Grissom will be back - Alison and I will be watching!
Fox has a bevy of comedies, a mix of animated and live action. 7:30 has Season 6 of Bob's Burgers (9/27), 8 PM Season 27 (!) of The Simpsons (9/27),8:30 PM Season 3 of Brooklyn Nine-Nine (9/27). 9 PM Season 14 of Family Guy (9/27) and 9:30 PM has Season 2 of The Last Man On Earth (9/27) (saw the pilot episode and though it was interesting, but not enough to watch regularly). We see an occasional episode of The Simpsons, but not the rest of it.
PBS is starting a new one, Indian Summers (9/27), at 9 PM, a new series about snooty Brits living in 1930s colonial India - if it works and it's your, uh, cup 'o' tea - it could be your new Downton Abbey.
HBO will be starting Season 2 of The Leftovers (10/4) at 9 PM. This is a great character driven show, where people are dealing with the mysterious, unexplained disappearance of 2% of the world's population. HBO is also starting Season 2 of Doll & Em (9/13). about a female British celebrity and her personal assistant.
Showtime starts Season 5 of Homeland (10/4), the great espionage series with Claire Danes. I have only seen some of the first season episodes, but I am always on the lookout to stream more, as they become available. Showtime has Season 2 of The Affair (10/4) at 10 PM. I guess the affair is a long lasting one.
Starz has new series Flesh and Bones (11/8) at 8 PM centered on an aspiring ballerina and the difficulties of the professional dance world.
E! has The Royals (11/15) at 10 PM, a satire of British royalty starring the gorgeous Elizabeth Hurley.
TNT will start Agent X (11/18) at 9 PM, starring Sharon Stone as a a covert operative operating at the discretion of the Vice President. Joe Biden has his own secret agent to send on special National Treasure style missions? Who woulda thunk it?
AMC has the number one show of the evening, Season 6 of The Walking Dead (10/11) at 9 PM,. At 10 PM, AMC has Into the Badlands (11/15), a martial arts extravaganza set in the distant future of a post-apocalyptic America.
So what is it you watch, T. M. Strait? In all of this plethora of choices, Alison and watch The Walking Dead and The Leftovers. The Walking Dead, in this age of DVRs and delayed viewings, is the one program that we must see on the night it broadcasts.
So what new series are you going to try, T, M, Strait?
Quantico! It sounds like it's going to be a smart, sexy entertaining 'who's the mole' series, Well, it's at least worth a shot!
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